Waiting list programme aims to increase activity by a fifth

The accelerated elective recovery programme is a significant step up from the recovery measures outlined in the 2021/22 planning guidance. The planning guidance said the NHS was allocated £1bn to support the recovery of elective services in 2021/22 – known as the Elective Recovery Fund (ERF). Systems can draw down from the ERF once they surpass a threshold, set against the 2019/20 activity baseline.

The planning guidance set the baseline threshold at 70% of 2019/20 activity in April, rising by five percentage points in subsequent months to 85% in July, which will remain the threshold until September. Additional activity above the 85% threshold will be paid at 120% of the tariff to take account of extra pathway costs not funded by the published tariff prices, such as critical care costs in some procedures.

However, the accelerated recovery programme seeks to incentivise even greater activity levels, aiming to achieve 120% of 2019/20 activity by July. It appears to be targeted at a small number of systems, and each of the selected ICSs will receive between £10m and £20m up front.

Lancashire and South Cumbria (LSC) ICS said systems had been invited to bid for the accelerator funding and it had submitted draft plans in April. The draft included details of the interventions needed to achieve 120% activity, the resources required, a delivery timescale and confirmation that it will establish a patient tracking list that is shared across the system.

In a paper submitted to a University Hospitals of Morecambe Bay NHS Foundation Trust board meeting, the ICS acknowledged the programme was ambitious and would rely on upfront investment being confirmed and released as soon as possible, significant independent sector capacity being procured and mobilised by mid-May, and ensuring the wellbeing of staff is prioritised.

It added: ‘Given the opportunity that this presents for the ICS in terms of national profile, access to additional investment and reducing overall patient harms driven by long waiting times, the PCB [provider collaboration board] CEOs have recommended that the LSC ICS submits the proposal.’